A New Year In Hope Valley
by JennaSueBennett-Author
Summary: This is my take on what happens next after the "New Year's Wish" episode. I hope you enjoy following the adventures of Elizabeth, Jack, Abagail, Pastor Frank, Rosemary, Lee, and all the rest of the characters of Hope Valley while we wait for season three. Please Read & Review, Thanks!
1. Proposals, Threats, And Cookies

Elizabeth sat behind her desk in the little schoolroom staring out the window. The children were silently reading their history books, but her mind focused on something entirely different. Last night… The kiss that swept her away. The very first kiss she and Jack had shared when they had both, without a doubt, knew that they would spend the rest of their lives together.

Elizabeth smiled, she couldn't keep her mind off Jack and decided to go find him before he came to pick her up for their walk. "Children, since it's the first day of a brand new year, I'm going to let all of you go home early today!"

The children were thrilled, and they quickly gathered their things, and bundled up to go out into the cold.

Elizabeth walked over to the window and ran her finger across the woodwork. She thought about how much Jack must love her, to sacrifice his time and money to build her a school. He was the one person who respected her dreams and her love for teaching. He made her feel braver, more courageous, and she was certain that they could indeed face anything if they faced it together.

She was awakened from her daydreaming when she felt a tug on her skirt.

"What is it Patrick?"

The little boy was clearly holding back a grin. "Miss Thatcher, I heard a noise behind the school. I think you'd better come check." He pulled her hand and she followed him outside.

"Oh! What kind of a noise?" She said giggling.

When they turned the corner of the school, Patrick took off running in the opposite direction. "Wait, where are you going? Patrick?" Elizabeth was completely bewildered watching him run away, until she heard Rip's barking.

"Shhh, Boy! You're ruining the surprise." Jack whispered in Rip's long floppy ear. He was standing in front of a small, black, covered surrey he had rented for the day, and he was wearing his green suit.

Elizabeth was shocked by the surprise, she thought they were just going on walk together. When she lowered her hands from her mouth, she was wearing her biggest smile.

Jack replied with his dimpled smile, and helped her into the seat beside of him. He started the horses off to a trot, and slipped his arm around her.

Elizabeth scooted down a little and curled up beside him, "I really enjoyed last night."

He sat up a little taller and grinned, "The fireworks were my favorite part."

She was a little surprised that his favorite part wasn't the kiss they shared, her smile lowered. "Yes, Lee and Rosemary really outdid themselves with the fireworks show."

"Yes, they did. But those weren't really the fireworks that I was talking about." He smiled at her, and they kissed.

Elizabeth liked the way this new year was going. They both knew what they wanted… a new start, a new life together, and they were getting a good start on reaching their goals. "You know, having two kinds of fireworks at the same time isn't a bad way to ring in the new year… Maybe we could make it a tradition?"

"I'd like that." Jack slapped the reins to make the horses go faster.

They rode off together smiling.

* * *

Pastor Hogan watched the school children running to their homes as he walked into town. He saw a blur, that he guessed was Cody as he dashed into Abagail's café. His sister would be leaving for the hospital after he came home from school, and he wanted to be sure not to miss saying goodbye to her.

Frank enjoyed being with Cody. Although he didn't know much about children, he felt so comfortable around them—they had so much faith, they were almost always honest about themselves; something that Frank wished he could be. Since his dramatic change in life, he had never confided in anyone, because it wasn't safe to do so… until he met Abagail. And even she didn't know everything.

He never expected his life to be like this—In the past he lived to gain more for himself, but now the only life he wanted was simple… to be closer to the Lord, to help others know and love their Maker, to marry Abagail Stanton, to be a good husband and a father, and to give Cody and his sister a home… no matter how long it took to make those things happen.

He shook his head. _This is crazy, I know I don't deserve to have a life like that._ But he still hoped that God would answer the prayer he was too afraid to even pray.

He rubbed his head, he hadn't slept much in the past few nights. He couldn't stop thinking about his old life, and his close encounter with death. God had known exactly what it would take in order to convince him to change his ways. He wondered what it would take for Jesse. Whatever it took, it couldn't happen it Hope Valley, he couldn't take a chance on Jesse endangering the good people, more specifically, the women of this town. And he was on his way to make sure of their safety now.

He stepped into the saloon and asked the bartender if a man named Jesse Flynn had checked out of his room.

"He left this morning, but he'll be back. I believe he said he was going to a job."

Frank took a deep breath. "Thank you very much." He left the saloon quickly, and headed to the general store. He found Jesse in back of the store unloading crates from a wagon.

"Hello, _Pastor._ Nice to see you here." He said in a mocking tone. "What can I do for you?"

"You can leave, now."

"What if I don't want to? I know, I know, you'll threaten me again, right?"

"I don't want to hurt you, but I will not stand by and let you destroy this town."

"I don't know this 'Frank Hogan' very well, he's a heck of a lot different than you were, Matt. But I do know this, 'he' likes it here, and so do I. And I don't think this town wants a pastor with a $500 bounty hanging over his head." Jesse took out the wanted poster from his pocket and unfolded it. He held it up for Frank to see.

"I thought that they thought I was dead." Frank was shocked.

"I think you'd be better off if you were." He wore a malicious grin on his face. "You know, I think you're sweetheart… what's her name, Abagail? I think she'd think this was a right handsome sketch of you on this poster. Maybe I'll should show it to her. I think she'd be proud; her man is famous."

Frank grabbed Jesse and pinned him up against the wall of the store, not by the clothes this time, but by the neck. "Don't. Make. Me." He stared into Jesse's eyes, disgusted at what he had become. Disgusted that he was mostly to blame for his behavior. _God, if there is any way for me to make this right, please show me._ He slowly let go.

"What's the matter, Pastor? You scared? I'll make a deal with you. You forget you even know me, and I won't say a word about this." He held up the poster and put it back in his pocket. "You can keep up this 'pastor' charade as long as you want."

"I will find a way to get rid of you."

"You do that. And remember, I can have five-hundred for getting rid of you, anytime I want." He smirked while Pastor Frank walked away.

* * *

Abagail hurried around in the room trying to find clothes that would fit Becky, she didn't really have any of her own, and Abagail wanted to be sure she had what she needed for her trip to the hospital.

"Let me hold this up to you." The dress was a bit too long in the sleeves. "Let me see if I can find one that would fit you better."

"No, that one is fine. I can sew, I'll fix it." Becky smiled. "I've never had a dress this pretty, thank you."

"Your welcome, I'm happy that it works." She hugged Becky. "We have to hurry. Dr. Burns is waiting for you."

They hurried down the stairs and out the door. The doctor created a bed in the back of the wagon. He helped her climb into it, and Abagail tucked her in. Cody climbed up too.

Dr. Burns said, "Cody, you know you can't go with your sister."

"I know, but I don't want her to go." He held on to his sister's arm.

Abagail brushed the hair back from his eyes. "Cody, have you ever heard the story of a brave boy named David?"

"I don't think so."

"Well, this boy was just an average little boy, about like you, and his people were in trouble. A big giant named Goliath came and was making things hard for everyone. Everyone was afraid of the giant, and David was afraid too, but he knew that someone had to be brave enough to do something about it instead of just being afraid. So he prayed, and asked God to help him do to what he needed to do. And he defeated that giant with a rock and a sling."

"He did?"

"He sure did. And that's a real story too, from the Bible. Cody, you don't have a real giant here that you can make go away. But this problem is hard for you, kind of like the giant in the story. You don't want to be away from your sister, but you know that she needs to go in order to get better, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then if you pray, God will give you the strength and the bravery of David to help you through this."

Cody closed his eyes and folded his hands for a moment, then he wrapped his arms around his sister. "I love you, Becky. I'm going to pray for you every day. I'll miss you."

She hugged him back. "I'll miss you too. I'll be back before you know it."

Cody climbed down. Abagail handed the doctor a basket. "I packed you some lunch and some cookies for your trip."

"Thank you so much. We won't go hungry." Dr. Burns smiled. "I'll make sure you're notified about her treatment, and I'll be in contact with the state in regards to you being appointed legal guardianship of Cody."

"Thank you, Doctor." Abagail and Cody waved as they drove away. Abagail looked down at Cody, who was frowning. "She'll be back soon. And God will help you to be brave."

"I know. He already did." He was still frowning.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Becky got cookies. I didn't get any cookies."

She laughed. "Well, we'll just have to make some, won't we?"

* * *

"Oh, I almost forgot! I have something to show you." Rosemary reached into her red coat pocket and pulled out the photograph of her and Lee that was taken for the San Francisco Herald's article on the new year's celebration in Hope Valley. "Wasn't it nice of Mr. Ward to leave this copy for us?"

"Let me see that." Lee took the photograph, rolled his eyes, and laughed. "I look ridiculous."

"You do look a bit perplexed, _Mr. LeVeaux._ "

"I had a good reason to be. But I promise, when we have our real wedding picture taken, I won't look like that."

"Oh really? Who says we're getting married?"

"I do." Lee patted her on the back, and smiled.

Rosemary frowned. "Well… I think that's up to me to decide." She still wasn't ready to rush into anything. She had dealt with many men, most all of them had ended up hurting her. Though she could tell that Lee was different, she still had a good reason to be cautious in any relationship. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Because I love you." He kissed her cheek, momentarily taking her breath away.

She looked up at him, trying to sort out the thoughts in her mind and the feelings in her heart. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. And whenever you're ready, I'll be here."

"Maybe my heart it's ready, but my head still tells me no. I just don't want to hurt anyone, or to be hurt anymore."

"Then I'd say to listen to your heart. Because I know that heart, and it's a good heart."

She pursed her lips and nodded. "So why did you bring me out here in the middle of nowhere? You said you had something to show me?"

"Yes, I did." He stretched his arms out. "This… It's all yours, Rosemary."

She looked around at the little clearing in the woods, the sunlight was spilling though the pine trees. "For me?"

"Yes. You can have me build whatever you want right here. This is your property now."

She smiled, "Thank you. It's very nice. But don't you think it's a little too far out of town for a theater?"

"I think you're on to something there. Maybe this land would be more suitable for a house… what do you think?"

She stayed quiet for a minute. "I… think that… one day… I think that this would be a beautiful place for our house, Lee."

He hugged her, and they both stood envisioning their future together.

* * *

Elizabeth and Jack were almost to the spot where they had shared their first kiss. The special spot where he told her she was 'the one… the only one'. Jack's heart began to race as he tried to decide how to ask 'the question'. The question that he was ready to ask just about a week before—at least anything that happened today would be better than _that day._

He didn't want to even think about that day, or ever tell Elizabeth that he had her diamond in his pocket—ready to get down on one knee, but Charles beat him to it. But was that really the best way to start their new life together?

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"I should tell you something. I don't think we should keep things from each other when we have a choice, so I've made a new year's resolution to share everything I can with you. I need to start by telling you… this isn't the first time I planned this trip for you."

She saw the pain in his eyes and looked worried. "You came for me… to take me here… when Charles…?"

He didn't answer, but she could tell the what the obvious answer was.

"Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry."

"I trust you. You know that at first, I was really hurt. I didn't understand how he could just propose, without thinking that you might possibly say yes. But that's behind us now, and we're not talking about that right now. The point I'm trying to make is, I was hurt and that affected my judgement. I was afraid to move forward like I had planned, but now I'm not. And I would be a fool to wait now, when I know who my heart loves, and so do you."

He pulled back quickly on the reins, and the buggy came to a halt. Then he took her hands in his, and helped her down.

Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her, running out into the beautiful open space. The sunset was eclipsed by the shimmering snow on the mountaintops. Jack stopped, and dropped to one knee. With misty eyes, he started, letting his heart pick the right words.

"Elizabeth Thatcher?"

She smiled, this was even more special than the way she'd dreamed it would be. "Yes, Jack Thornton?"

"I love you…" He stopped, trying to decide what to say next. But he decided he'd say the most important part again. "I love you!"

She laughed. "I love you too!"

He took the ring from his pocket, and held it next to her ring finger. "And I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. Please say you'll marry me, and be my Mrs. Thornton… Will you?"

"Yes, with all my heart."

Jack slid the ring onto her finger, and at the same time a tear slid down her cheek. Then he stood and kissed her tear away before he pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

Abagail put the last cookie on the pan, and slid the cookie pan into the oven.

"Well now, that batch is done. You picked out two of my very favorite kinds of cookies, Cody—peanut butter and oatmeal raisin." She opened the oven to let the little boy inspect his work. She didn't realize how much she missed having a son by her side in the kitchen. It had been many long years since she baked cookies with her Peter.

"My favorite kind is chocolate chip." He looked up at her with big eyes.

"Then why, Young Man, didn't you ask to make chocolate chip cookies?"

"Well, they're my favorite, and I thought that if I saved them for last, you'd be more likely to make them too." His eyes were begging now.

Abagail kept from grinning at his sneaky plan. He definitely was smart, because that's exactly what she would do… after all, they were his favorite cookies… She played along seriously. "Well, that was a sneaky thing to do. Did you consider the possibility that I might not let you have any cookies at all for trying to trick me?"

He scrunched his shoulders, looking defeated.

"Cody, remember I said I was a businesswoman, maybe we can make a deal. Can you help me cook dinner tonight, and eat all of the spinach on your plate?"

His face brightened, "Yes, Ma'am!"

They shook sticky hands before Abagail started measuring out the flour and the other ingredients for the third batch of cookies of the day.

She heard someone enter the dining room, and since she had the 'closed' sign hanging on the door she hoped it wasn't Henry Gowen or Bill Avery paying her a visit. She braced herself.

"Knock Knock."

She instantly recognized the voice as Pastor Frank's and let herself relax. "We're in the kitchen."

"Hello Abagail, and Cody…" He smiled. "I heard your sister left for the hospital today."

"Yeah, I miss her already." Cody already had his hands in the sticky dough mixing it.

"The time will go by really quickly if you remember that she is in God's hands. He is taking good care of Becky… and you… and Mrs. Stanton."

"Always?" Cody questioned.

"Always." Frank and Abagail answered simultaneously. They exchanged smiles.

"What is that wonderful smell?" He walked to the oven and took a big breath.

"It's cookies! Two kinds! And we're making more too!" Cody took his hands out of the bowl while Abagail added the chocolate chips. "Here you can help." He put a mixing spoon into Frank's hand, and started eating the dough off his sticky fingers.

"Cody, the pastor didn't come here to work." She laughed a little.

"Well, if you're not afraid I'll jinx the cookies with my bad baking luck, I'd like to learn how."

"I'll take my chances. Anyway, I thought pastors weren't supposed to believe in luck."

"That's right. But we do believe in miracles, and if you can teach me how to bake cookies that aren't black, it will be one. May I?"

"Be my guest. Those chips are pretty hard to mix in sometimes." She enjoyed watching his strong arms easily mix the thick batter.

After a few moments of quiet, she turned around to find Cody had licked his hands clean, along with every other dirty utensil in the kitchen, and now he was watching her and Frank standing side by side.

"What sneaky sticky cookie schemes are you plotting now, Young Man?"

He laughed. "I'll have enough cookies now, Mrs. Stanton. Thank you."

"Well, that's good to know. I thought I was going to have to go fetch more sugar from Mr. Yost, if we were going to be making cookies all night!" Everyone chuckled. "What are you thinking about?"

"It's just kind of like having a Ma and Pa again, I'm glad you're here Pastor Hogan."

Abagail smiled and looked down. Frank turned and looked at the boy, "You know what, I'm glad I'm here too."

Cody grinned and ran upstairs.

A few uncomfortable moments of silence passed before Frank said, "Kids are really special. They can be rambunctious, but they're a big blessing, aren't they?"

"Mmm, that is so true. I didn't realize how much I missed being… well a mother, especially to a young child. It's been so long."

"He's certainly blessed to have you here for him."

I'm blessed to have him to take care of. You know, kids seem to have a special knack of seeing a situation, and to us it might be so complex, and to them it makes all the sense in the world. I like to ask for advice from that little guy. He always seems to know just what to do."

"I pray that the Father will give us all the gift of seeing things through a child's eyes. There's a lot of problems I'd like to have advice on from someone who knows what do, even when there aren't any good answers." He kneaded the dough with more force. Abagail saw by the veins in his forehead that he was upset.

"Is there anything I could do to help? Sometimes it helps to have someone listen, even when they might not know what to do either."

"Actually, that's why I came over. I need to tell you something." He stopped and wiped his hands on a towel, then he leaned on the surface of the counter.

"Sure, absolutely."

He hesitated. "You know when I asked you to have dinner with me a few days ago, I told you there was more to the story… I wanted to wait until the right time to finish, but now… something has happened that has made me need to tell you now… for your safety."

She worried when he added the last of it. But she was eager to hear the truth about his past. She knew he needed to get it off his chest, and she was slightly proud he was choosing to confide in her.

"You can feel free to tell me anything, Frank, anytime you're ready."

He nodded. His fists clenched and loosened several times as he took deep breaths and looked up at the ceiling. Abagail saw how hard it was for him to remember the past, she wanted to comfort this man who she was beginning to have feelings for. She put her hand over his fist and squeezed, and he looked at her.

"I haven't always been Frank Hogan. When I changed my life, at the seminary, I learned from the good Book how God used a lot of people who led bad lives to do great things for Him. He made them new people, and gave them new names. I learned that the old has passed away, and the new is come when we accept Him."

"But the old seems to have a way of coming back and haunting us, yes?"

"Yeah. God knows that there was a dying man named Matt Landry. That man was scared of going to Hell, so he made a promise to change. Matt died, and his old ways died with him on the Cross with Christ. But the world Matt lived in didn't go away when he changed his name and moved to a new place… My crimes, they weren't the only thing, I set a terrible example for a lot of young people, for one young man in particular. I caused him to ruin his life, and now I'm afraid he may be a danger to this town, to you."

"I see." She remembered the young man sitting in her café just a few days before, asking after 'Matt Landry'. He must have been the danger.

"I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to tell you what 'Matt' did, you deserve to know."

"I don't want you to feel pressured on telling me anything you're not ready to share."

"I am ready. Thank you… I…"

The back door swung open and Jack and Elizabeth came in grinning and giggling, not paying attention to anything else but each other. Abagail looked at Frank, she mouthed 'I'm so sorry'. He silently answered, 'It's ok.' and pulled his hands back.

Abagail asked, "Well, I wondered where you were. What have you two been up to?"

They giggled, without breaking the eye contact. Elizabeth's eyebrows raised, "Do you want to tell them or should I?"

Abagail had never seen Jack's smile so big, "How about we do it together?" Elizabeth nodded in agreement. Jack started, "I asked this beautiful woman to become Mrs. Thornton…" He held her hands tightly before raising her left, showing the diamond he'd been saving for just the right time.

"And I said yes!" Elizabeth squealed.

"That is so wonderful! I am so happy for you both! Of course, it's not really a surprise, I always knew you two were perfect for each other." She hugged Elizabeth first, then Jack. "Congratulations! Have you set a date for the big day?"

"We've been thinking about that… nothing decided, but the sooner the better."

Jack smiled at Elizabeth's enthusiasm, he added. "Pastor Hogan, I'm glad you're here too. We wanted to ask if you would perform the ceremony for us."

He walked over to them and shook Jack's hand, "Of course I will. It would be my honor to be there at the start of your new life together. You let me know when you have a date set, ok?"

Elizabeth exclaimed, "We will!"

Abagail worried about Frank, it was hard for him to tell these things, she hoped he would try to tell her again soon. For now, she needed to rejoice with the young couple who were just entering the world of love.

"Let's go into the parlor and celebrate!" She took the Pastor's arm, hoping he would know she wanted him to stay.


	2. Cooking Lessons, Acting Lessons, & Pasts

Elizabeth pulled open her bureau drawer, found her matches, and struck one… creating a bit of light in the midnight darkness. She lit the lamp on the table beside her bed, and crawled beneath the covers again. Her feet were like ice!

Since she couldn't go to sleep, she picked up her stack of student's papers and started grading them. She was about halfway through the first test when something distracted her… a little sparkle going across the room. Her eyes followed it as it trailed the walls and ceiling, then she found where it was coming from—her diamond.

It was like a special part of Jack was with her, a special part of his love—lighting up the room with little sparkles. She smiled as she thought of how he must have spent forever picking out the perfect ring from the catalogue. It was perfect, not too plain, or too fancy. She ran her finger around the center diamond, then studied the tiny diamonds encircling the middle one.

 _Jack must have carried with him in his pocket since… since the day Charles proposed_ , she thought.

She was half-way glad that Charles had proposed, it gave her the courage to tell him who her heart really loved. He was fit to tied, stomping out the door, hurrying to the stagecoach, quite ready to get out of 'the wilderness', as he called it. Elizabeth laughed, _How very different that life would have been._

She remembered the way Charles proposed to her. He acted like she owed it to him, like she didn't have a choice… he told her what he wanted her to do— "Marry me." He said. He didn't even ask. But Jack…

Jack's proposal melted her heart. Just remembering the words that he said to her made her toes warm. The way his eyes misted, the way he kissed the ring after he put it onto her finger, the way he kissed her…

Elizabeth's stomach growled.

She laughed. What a time to be hungry! She decided to go downstairs and drink some milk before she tried to sleep again. Maybe she'd even sneak one of Abagail's delicious biscuits or two. Grading the papers could wait until morning.

She grabbed the lamp and headed downstairs. She stopped when she heard a noise. It frightened her at first, but then she realized it was crying. Abagail was crying. She hurried, descending the rest of the stairs and closing the space between them as quickly as she could. She didn't remember ever seeing her friend cry. Abagail was always the strong, brave one that she went to for help.

Abagail heard her coming and quickly wiped her tears away. She cleared her voice, "Elizabeth! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm just worried about you."

"Oh, I'm fine." She paused. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I guess I'm just missing Noah, and Peter."

"Are you sure it's because of that? I know you, it just isn't like you to cry."

"I am fine. I just…"

"What is it Abagail? I'm your friend, you can talk to me about anything."

"Almost anything. But you're right, I do need to talk. I just don't know how to get the advice I need without breaking a promise that I made to someone else."

"Well, you don't have to say anything specific. Why don't you just try to explain the situation anonymously?"

Abagail thought a moment. "I could try."

"Of course, I don't know how much help I could be… you're the one who always gives me advice." Elizabeth smiled.

"You're very wise, Elizabeth. Sometimes you can just see clearer when it's not a situation or a person that you're involved with."

"That's true. I'll do my best to help. So why don't you tell me, why were you crying?"

"Well, it was silly of me to be crying. I just… Elizabeth, what would you say to a friend, who has a friend that really needs to talk about their past, but that friend has a hard time remembering and speaking of those things?"

"I would say that the first friend needs to just be there for the second friend, just let them know that its ok to remember and to talk about it, that the first friend will be there for them no matter what was in their past."

"Yes. But what if the first friend is afraid of what she might hear? What if the things in the second friend's past might make a difference in their friendship, but she doesn't want to hurt the second friend who chose to trust her?"

"That is complicated. But from recent experience, I've learned that the worst thing for friends to do is for one of them to keep things from the other. The best thing to do is to talk. If you don't, those feelings just build up more and more, threatening the existence of even the closest friends. But if you talk about it, usually you can find a way to deal with the problem… together. Maybe the first friend should proceed cautiously, but the friends should proceed, helping each other along the way."

Abagail nodded. "That makes a lot of sense. Thank you. I'll be sure to tell the 'first friend' what 'she' should do." She smiled.

Elizabeth's stomach growled again. "Another word of advice for the first friend… She should offer some of her delicious biscuits to her third friend, the one who gave her the advice, before the third friend starves!"

They both laughed. "Oh Elizabeth! The biscuits are over there, please help yourself!"

Elizabeth hurried over to the counter. She took a big bite of one, "Thank you. I was so hungry!"

* * *

The next morning, Elizabeth came down the stairs to find Abagail rushing around preparing breakfast. "Good morning, Abagail. You seem to be very busy this morning, are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you. I plan on talking to that 'second friend' later on today. Your advice really helped me a lot, Elizabeth." Abagail blew a stray lock of hair from her face as she cracked another egg into the bowl.

"I'm so glad I could help. I'll be here to help you anytime, you just let me know when you need it, ok?"

"Would you mind if I took you up on that offer right now? Since it's Saturday and you don't have to teach, and everyone seems to have come here to eat breakfast today, I sure could use some help in the kitchen."

"Of course. You must be desperate if you're asking for my help… _cooking_."

"Well, if you're getting married soon, you might as well start learning to cook now. Here, can you finish these eggs for me?"

"Okay… what do I do?" Elizabeth asked as she held the egg between her index finger and thumb, as if they were contaminated.

"Hold the egg, like so. Then gently tap it on the side of the bowl, like this… And then you separate the shell." She demonstrated while she spoke. "Now you try."

Elizabeth tried her best to mimic her friend's skillful moves.

"See, you did a great job. Almost no shell ended up in the bowl." Abagail praised.

"Oh Abagail, I don't think I'll ever be able to cook like you… I know I won't. Jack and I are going to starve."

"Now, now… don't give up so easily. I know you, Elizabeth Thatcher, when you set your mind to something—you do it! And you don't let _anyone_ stand in your way." She started flipping the bacon in the pan. "Now you just keep on practicing over there until you've mastered the art of cracking eggs."

"Thank you, Abagail."

A while later, Jack came into the café. He didn't stop in the dining room, but went straight to the kitchen to ask where he could find his bride to be. He stopped when he saw her stirring a pan of eggs. _She is so beautiful,_ he thought quietly.

"Good morning to you, Constable. Let me get you a table." Abagail led him to the dining room, after he and Elizabeth exchanged smiles.

"Thank you, Abagail. May I ask you a question?" He said, sitting down.

"Of course you may."

"Where those eggs, eggs that Elizabeth cooked?" He wondered if he should go eat chili and cornbread at the saloon, but he didn't want to hurt his future wife's feelings.

"Yes, they were. But trust me, I don't think you'll be disappointed." Abagail winked.

Jack hoped he could trust that she was right… he sat up a little straighter when he saw Elizabeth coming with his plate. _Thornton… whatever you do—no matter how runny, crunchy, or black those eggs are… Do not let her see you get sick. You're a Mountie, you've been through worse, you'll get through this._ He mumbled under his breath.

"Talking to yourself now, are you, Constable?" She set the plate in front of him and sat down.

"No… just… counting my blessings, that's all."

"Mmmm. Well, apparently you have one more to add to your list. You'll have a wife who knows how to fix your breakfast, I made this just for you… Don't worry, Abagail taught me, and approved it fit for human consumption. Try a bite, let me know what you think!"

"That's really sweet. Thank you, Elizabeth. I must be the luckiest man on the face of this earth." He studied it, it smelled good, looked edible...

"Well?" She was waiting.

Hesitantly, he forked a bite of egg, put it into his mouth, and chewed. "Elizabeth!"

"Yes, Jack?"

"This is really good… No, I mean _really good!"_

"You really mean that?"

"Of course I do. You made this, all by yourself?"

"I made the eggs, but I can't take credit for the rest of the meal, Abagail made that. But she said she'd teach me. I'm going to learn how to make all of your favorites. I'm going to be a good wife for you, Jack."

"You'll be the very best wife I could ever have." He took her hand in his, "Can you learn how to make biscuits and gravy sometime, it's one of my favorite meals?"

"Of course! That will be my specialty!"

They exchanged smiles, and she enjoyed watching him eat the first edible breakfast she ever made.

* * *

"Good morning, Rosemary!" Lee called to her as she walked toward him, they were both headed to Abagail's café for breakfast.

"Hello, Lee." She took his arm.

"Would you like to join me for breakfast?"

"Thank you, I would."

They were about to head into the café when Elizabeth and Jack came out. They didn't realize anyone else was around.

Lee and Rosemary overheard the couple talking softly to each other. Jack said, "I wish I didn't have to go to work, I don't want to leave you."

"Well, we'll see each other later, I'm going to stay here all day and learn how to cook, and sew, and make house."

Jack wiped a bit of flour from her cheek and chuckled, "I'll be back for dinner."

"You better be!" Jack and Elizabeth kissed. When they finished their goodbyes, they both saw that they had an audience.

"Uh, good morning! Lee, Rosie." Jack awkwardly moved slightly away from Elizabeth.

Lee laughed. "It seems like you two are having a good morning."

Rosemary added, "We weren't spying on you, we just couldn't really help but overhear…"

Jack looked up at Elizabeth who was standing on the steps of the café. She answered, "I guess they'll know soon enough anyway."

Jack nodded and grinned, "We're engaged!"

Rosemary's mouth dropped open, "No!"

"Yes!" Elizabeth quickly said, _very cheerfully_ , as she remembered the troubles she used to have with Rosemary. She was more than glad to share _this news_ with her.

Lee shook Jack's hand, "That's just great! And… speaking of getting engaged… Rosemary and I— "

Rosemary elbowed his ribs, and finished his sentence, "… We… are so very happy for the both of you!"

Jack and Elizabeth exchanged looks, "Thank you."

Lee kept looking at Rosemary for an explanation, trying to hide his pain beneath a fake smile. Rosemary finally said, "Well, we would just love to stay and chat, but we don't want to keep you, and we really _must_ be going."

The couples exchanged goodbyes, then Rosemary pulled Lee far enough away to talk to him privately.

Lee put his hand on his side, "What did you do that for?"

Rosemary switched her happy face to her angry face, "Why here _YOU_ about to tell them that _WE_ were engaged?"

"Well, aren't we?"

"NO. You haven't even proposed to me, Mr. Leland Coulter. You have not even given me a ring. Are you, or are you not going to ask me?"

"I'm sorry, of course I'm going to ask. I just assumed we had an understanding."

"Well, that's where you went wrong, NEVER _assume_ ANYTHING about a lady."

He rubbed his side. "I'll remember that."

"Well…"

"Well?"

"You said you were going to ask?"

"Right now? Here?"

"Of course not here! Let's go to your office."

"Okay…" He watched as she changed her angry face back into a happy face and guided her to his office, as gently as if she were a ticking time bomb… He didn't want any more injuries this morning. But of course, her unpredictability was what attracted him the most to her. And if he was sure of one thing, it was that he was in for a _very_ exciting life with Rosemary at his side.

He opened the door to his office, and made sure no one was in the other room. Rosemary closed the curtains.

"Get down on one knee." Rosemary demanded.

He nodded, and complied. He kneeled sincerely in front of her, and took a deep breath.

"Now, hold my hand." She stuck her hand out.

"Rosemary, are you proposing or am I?"

She gave him a look that told him not to press further.

"Rosemary… Will you marry me?"

There was no answer.

"Well?"

She looked off the other side of the room and made a face.

"Are you going to answer me, or are you going to make me kneel in front of you all day?"

"You need acting lessons." She said plainly.

" _Acting lessons!?"_ he shouted.

"Shhh. How do you expect a lady to feel moved enough to accept your proposal to spend the rest of her life with you, unless you use your emotions, your voice, your body, your heart, and your soul—to show her how you can't stand to be without her, how you'd die unless she said yes?"

Lee's mouth hung open.

"Here. Stand up, I'll show you."

He stood, and she kneeled. His eyebrows raised.

"Lee… Oh, my special Lee..." She animated her facial expressions. "I have loved you, from the very first day I met you. When you rode into town on your motorcycle, you ran right into my heart. Even when there is distance between us, I feel that you are still here with me in my heart. I couldn't dream of spending the rest of my life apart from you, my Love, and I will be devoted to you for the rest of my days. Lee, will you marry me?" She stood again, and motioned for him to kneel. "Now you try."

He tried to refrain from laughing out loud as he started once more. "Rosemary…" He shook his head, "I'm not an actor, and I don't think that even the best acting teacher, you of course, could teach me how to be one. But the words you said, those words meant a lot to me, because they came from your heart… and I want to tell you what's in my heart. You're an actress, and I love you for who you are. I'm own a saw mill, I'm a business man, and I hope you love me for who I am. You are a very special lady, Rosemary LeVeaux, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

She smiled sincerely, "Of course I will." She looked at him for a moment. "Now the ring. You do have one, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Do you think that I would be proposing to you if I didn't have a diamond in my pocket?"

She giggled. He pulled the box out of his coat, opened it, slid it ono her finger, and kissed her hand.

"You may stand up now." She said.

He stood, "Ok, what now?"

"You… can kiss me now."

He wasted no time with that command. He took her into his arms, kissing her repeatedly, until she had no more breath. When he let go, her eyes were wide.

"How was that, Rosemary?"

* * *

Henry Gowen held open the door of the saloon for Nora Avery. They were meeting each other for lunch.

"Thank you, Henry."

"Your welcome, Nora." He held the chair for her as she sat down.

"You make me feel like a princess." She smiled.

"You should feel like that always." He hesitated, "I just wish I could have been there for you when…"

Her smile faded. "When Martin died?"

He nodded. "I hope you don't mind my asking this… How did… What happened to our son, Nora?"

A tear slipped down her cheek. "He was angry, that day. He was thirteen, but he was still my baby. What hurts so bad is that we parted with angry words, he was mad at me. He wanted to go somewhere with some friends that I didn't approve of, and I of course, told him no. He said he didn't care that he was going to go anyway. He said he was going to run away. I didn't think he really meant that, I thought that it was just a rebellious teenage stage. I told myself that he just wanted to get away from my apron strings for a while, and he'd be back for dinner. But he wasn't back, not that night, or the next, not for a whole week."

"That must have been very painful for you."

"It was. Bill was leading the case, trying to find him. And one day I got a call, Bill was crying, he found him. It was so terrible. My baby was lying in a field, he was beaten, and he was so bruised that Bill couldn't even tell it was him. But his watch was in his hand, the watch we gave him for his birthday, with his initials on it. He was so proud of his watch…"

Henry stood, walked around the table, and put his hands on her shoulder. "I would have loved to meet him."

"He looked a lot like you, Henry."

* * *

Clara walked in the kitchen, "Hello Elizabeth, Abagail, Cody!" She walked over and hugged Elizabeth. "I heard about you and Jack. I'm so happy for you!"

"Oh, thank you so much! I'm so excited too. And I have something I wanted to ask you. I'm not sure exactly when the wedding will be, but I would like you to be one of my bridesmaids. Will you?"

"Oh, I would be honored… but isn't that supposed to be something for your sisters to do?"

"They can be bridesmaids too, if they want, but I really want you to be standing there with me, and Abagail. I've asked her to be my maid of honor."

Clara smiled. "I'll be there."

"Wonderful!"

"I've never been to a wedding before, except for mine and Peter's, of course… that wasn't a wedding like yours, it was just a plain wedding."

Abagail walked over to her daughter in law, "Sometimes that's the most special kind."

Clara nodded, "I wish you could have been there."

"I was, in heart." Abagail hugged Clara.

They were interrupted by a loud bang. All three of the ladies turned around quickly and saw that the bowl of biscuit dough that Cody was helping to prepare had hit the floor, and all of the flour had spilled out.

"I'm so, so sorry, Mrs. Stanton. It was an accident." Cody looked as if he was going to cry.

Abagail hurried over to him, and hugged him. "I know, it was just an accident, it's alright. There's no harm done. Don't worry, it will clean right up."

"I'll get a broom and mop." Elizabeth volunteered.

"Thank you, Elizabeth. They're in that closet."

Clara asked, "What can I do?"

"Well, that was the last of the flour. I was planning on picking up a grocery order from Mr. Yost after the lunch crowd has gone…"

"I could pick that up for you right now."

"Would you? That would be wonderful, thank you so much, Clara! Everything should be ready for you, except the flour, please ask Ned to add some for you. The money is in the cookie jar."

Clara left for the general store, very happy to be helping Abagail, even in a small way. She felt guilty for not being able to cook or wait tables, she wanted to repay her mother in law's kindness. She was so thankful that she had a _real_ family. _If only Peter were still alive_ , she thought. The hole in her heart still hurt from his death, but she felt ready to move on—to try to love someone again.

She stepped in, the bell on the door signaled her arrival. Jesse appeared from behind the back room.

"Hello, pretty Girl."

She smiled, "Hi…" She looked around, "Where is Mr. Yost?"

"He had some business to attend to, left me in charge for a while. What can I do for you?"

"I'm just here to pick up an order for Mrs. Abagail Stanton, she said it should be ready."

He left, and found the crate with her name on it. "Here you are. And didn't you say before that your name was Stanton? You her daughter?"

"Daughter-in-law, actually. But she is like a mother to me."

"So… you're married, then?"

"I was, my husband died in the coal mine accident." She pursed her lips, trying to think of how to change the subject. "Oh, I'll need some flour too."

"How much… How many pounds?"

"To be honest, I really don't know! I don't cook much. I know she uses a lot, so whatever you think is 'a lot'."

"'A lot' of flour…" He went to the back room again. "How about five pounds now, and thirty delivered later to the café?"

"That sounds great." She handed him the money, and he opened the cash register. She turned to walk out.

"Clara?"

"Yes?" She looked over her shoulder.

"Take a walk with me sometime. I'd like to talk… find out more about you."

She smiled. "Alright."

She didn't stay long enough to see him close the cash register and tuck her money for the groceries into his own pocket.

* * *

Bill Avery exited the saloon, wondering if he should talk to Lee about his offer of a job at the sawmill. After all, he had been a Mountie for a very long time, and he wasn't getting younger. Maybe he was ready for a slower paced, less dangerous job.

After he came out, he watched Henry and Nora leaving. _He's such a fake, and she falls for it, just like before,_ he thought. It almost seemed like everything he tried to do when he married her was all for nothing. _At least I gave Martin a father._ He shook his head and kept walking.

A little way down the street, he saw Abagail coming out of her café. He wished he could have had a life with someone like _her_. _A real life, with real love—not just a pretense._ Maybe if he stayed in Hope Valley, he might have a chance… a job at the saw mill might be just what he needed.

"Hello, Abagail." Bill watched, jealously, as Frank Hogan approached her.

"Hello, Pastor. I just on my way to the church to see you."

"Oh really, what about?" He smiled.

"Actually, to finish our conversation last night… that is, if you are ready. Mainly, to apologize for what happened, and to tell you that I am here to listen when you're ready to talk."

"That's very kind of you, I appreciate that so much."

Bill's interest was mounting at this conversation.

Abagail stepped to the side, "If you'd like to, you can come inside. We can have some lemonade and talk before the dinner crowd arrives."

"I would… except I really need to take care of something first. I would say we could meet later tonight, but I promised Old Mr. Hodges that I would come sit with him tonight. Between you and me…" He lowered his voice. "The man thinks he's dying, and he somehow is convinced that the only way he can get into Heaven, is if a pastor is with him when he dies to persuade God to let him in."

Abagail chuckled, "Oh dear."

"Don't worry." Frank laughed. "I might have my work cut out for me, but I'll set him straight. See you soon, Abagail?"

"I'll be here."

Bill watched Abagail go back into the café, and the pastor walk to the jail. Bill didn't realize someone was behind him.

"It just burns you, doesn't it?" Henry Gowen growled in Bill's ear.

Bill turned around, "What?"

"Seeing that man with Abagail… When you loved her first? Now you know what I've felt."

"It's not the same and you know it. You left Nora."

"We're not talking about Nora; we're talking about Abagail."

"I don't want to talk to you about Abagail."

"That's your choice… But I do worry about her these days."

"Since when did you worry about Mrs. Stanton?"

"Since she might be in danger."

Bill's eyebrows lowered, "What danger is she in besides your threats?"

Henry's eyes followed Frank as he entered the jailhouse. "I don't know for sure, but rumor has that there might be more 'past' than 'pastor' to that man…" Then Henry glared at Bill. "But I'm sure I don't need to be telling you anything, after all you're the one who's the investigator… I'm sure you've already been checking up on anyone who is keeping company with Mrs. Stanton, I'd hate to see her get hurt again." Then he patted him on the shoulder and left. "Good day to you, Bill."

* * *

Jack sat behind his desk—halfway dreaming, halfway sketching. He was trying to draw himself, proposing to Elizabeth, putting the ring onto her finger. It would be a wedding gift to her, he would frame it and hang it over their bed… It would be a constant reminder of his love for her—then, now, and forever. It would also be a reminder of how far they'd come, and how much their love had grown throughout the years.

 _The years._ That was the subject of his daydream, how he would spend years loving his beautiful Elizabeth. Holding her by a warm fireplace—stroking her long, dark, curly hair—kissing her soft, small, pink lips…

The door opened.

Jack took his boots off of the desk and closed his sketchbook. "Hello, Pastor. What can I do for you?"

Frank nodded, "Jack. I could use a Mountie's help with a problem."

"Sure, I'd be glad to. What's the problem? Is one of your congregants not tithing?" Jack grinned.

Frank was quiet.

"Sorry, bad joke."

"Oh, no it's alright. I'm glad you're in good spirits… I was just thinking…"

"Is everything okay? Frank?"

"Can I tell you something in confidence?"

"Absolutely."

Frank nodded and swiped at his mouth nervously. "There is someone here in Hope Valley that shouldn't be. He is a danger to this community, trust me, I knew him. He is just as bad, or even worse than when I saw him last."

"Well, who is this person?"

"…" Frank was silent as Bill stormed into the jail, stomping his feet.

"Jack, does this man have business here, or can he come back later—I need to talk with you urgently."

Jack was surprised at Bill's behavior. Lately, he came to expect Bill to be less than sociable, but he was downright ornery and rude. "Well, actually the pastor here was talking to me about something important…"

"That's alright, Jack. I can come back another time. It's fine." Frank looked at Bill, who was basically staring him out the door, then at Jack.

Jack's eyes apologized to Frank as he left. When the door closed, Jack asked, "What's wrong, Bill? Why did you do that?"

"What did that man say to you? I need you to tell me everything." Bill paced around the floor.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you anything about that conversation, and last time I checked, you were on leave… you're not my superior."

"Well, I'm back now. I'm going to go wire headquarters, and tell them I'm officially back on duty."

"What have you got against the pastor?"

Bill looked back over his shoulder before he went out the door. "Nothing yet."

* * *

Elizabeth dashed around the kitchen trying to prepare Jack's dinner in time. Abagail had been teaching her all day—and finally, she felt ready to cook 'solo', as she called it. So she watched everything Abagail did to prepare her dinner, looking over her shoulder, memorizing all of the ingredients and steps she took… then she went to her own little corner of the café kitchen and mixed up dinner… her own style.

She wanted absolutely everything to be perfect for him. She had his own table fixed up beautifully for two—candles, flowers, Abagail's best dishes… everything. She looked out the window and saw Jack coming, so she hurried to the mirror to fix her hair and wipe away any flour that might have found its way to her nose, for the hundredth time. She smoothed out her skirt, took a deep breath, and went into the other room to greet Jack.

"Don't be nervous, I'm sure he will love your dinner, Elizabeth." Abagail soothed Elizabeth's jitters.

"I sure hope so!"

* * *

Jack walked into the café, and was pleased to see most everyone had already been and gone. He looked forward to having a quiet dinner with his fiancée. He tried to peek at the other diner's plates to get an idea of what he could expect. The only thing he was able to see was mashed potatoes. _At least those can't really burn._

 _Thornton!_ He silently scolded himself. _How can you possibly say that after those delicious eggs that she made you today? And you've been looking forward to this meal all day. I'm ashamed of me._

"Jack!" Elizabeth appeared from the kitchen. "Your dinner is ready; I hope you're hungry." She had on a pretty pink skirt and white lacy blouse, her cheeks were a deep pink from being the hot kitchen all day.

"You look beautiful, and I am so hungry. It smells wonderful!"

"Thank you." She sat the first two dishes of food down on the table. "I hope you don't mind me serving you in courses, I'm saving the best for last."

"Oh, we're eating fancy tonight, are we? Should I have worn my suit?" He held the chair for her while she sat down.

She flung her curls behind her, "I think you look very handsome in red." She dipped out a small portion of green beans on his plate.

His stomach growled.

"You are hungry!" She laughed.

"Those look so good… and they smell good too." He put his nose up to them, and took a big whiff. "And each one is such a perfect color green…"

"Jack… Just eat."

He chuckled, "I'm savoring them with all of my senses."

"Well, you have two left… Pick up a bean… touch it, put it into your mouth, and taste it."

He laughed, then did what she said—picking up a bean with his fork, touching it as if he was admiring the shape of it, then ate it.

"You're such a clown!"

"Mmmmm. Elizabeth! This is really, really good!"

"If I'd had known how much you would enjoy that particular bean I would have put it on a golden platter for you!"

"Mmmmm, mmm." He quickly finished the rest of them, until his plate was empty. "Can I please have some more."

"May I… and no, you may not. Now, I have plenty more food for you to try and I don't want you filling up before you try everything."

While she opened her next dish and dipped it onto his plate, Jack snuck his hand in her green bean dish, snitching one while she wasn't looking.

"I saw that Jack; you're being a bad boy."

"Yes, Teacher."

She sat the plate of mashed potatoes in front of him.

"I like those, they pretty and soft and white." He picked up a spoon and put a bite of them into his mouth.

"And how do they taste?"

"Mmmmmmm. So good!"

She giggled while she watched him stuff spoonful after spoonful in his mouth—even trying to smile at her while his mouth was full.

Jack could hardly wait to taste the next part of her meal. _What did I tell you, Thornton? Is this great or what? Pretty girl, great food…_

"Here, here is your fried chicken. You can eat that with your fingers while I take your plate to the kitchen to get your surprise, ok?"

"Okay! Thank you!"

She laughed again while she walked to the kitchen, shaking her head while she listened to him 'Mmmmm-ing" in the other room. A few minutes later, she came back with another plate… this time she covered it with a silver buffet lid.

"Voila!" She lifted the lid and he tried to identify the special creation she seemed to be so proud of.

It was a creamy white sauce with little pieces of something dark colored, covering something… maybe pieces of pastry? He smelled it… it smelled sweet… _Probably some kind of dish the rich people eat in Hamilton._ Jack thought. _Just keep smiling and 'mmm-ing' she'll never know you don't know what it is._

He cut a piece with his fork, the sauce was turning into something like a frosting. _Must be a dessert._ He ate it.

"Well?"

He tried not to furrow his brow, "Mmmmm…" The dish was so sweet, sweet was all he could possibly taste! And were those biscuits under that frosting?

Her smile dropped waiting for more enthusiasm.

"Elizabeth, this is so sweet, I love it!"

"Sweet?" Her face was puzzled.

"Yes, it's one of the sweetest deserts I've ever tasted."

"It's not supposed to be sweet. I haven't even served you your desert yet! Jack Thornton, you're kidding right? It's not funny anymore." She put her hands on her hips.

He tried to figure out what was going on, but all of the sudden he felt sick. He grabbed his glass of water and gulped it down without a breath… causing an infuriated, hurt Elizabeth to run to the kitchen.

He set the glass down. _Oh, what did you do now?_ He followed her. She had her arms crossed and her face fixed in an angry position.

"From now on, Constable Thornton, you may fix your own biscuits and gravy."

"Biscuits and gravy?" Now he was confused. "That was biscuits and gravy?"

" _Yes._ " She said very angrily.

"But it was sweet?"

"Elizabeth, I don't mean to interrupt, but when you were making your gravy, is it possible that you may have mistaken the powdered sugar with the flour?" Abagail held up her jars that were identical, except for the labels… and they could have been turned around so that she didn't see them.

"I guess that's possible."

Jack smiled, but quickly changed it to a serious look when she glared at him with her 'scary teacher face'.

"It was the best biscuits and sausage icing I've ever had."

She picked up a wet towel and flung it on his head, then he started chasing her around the kitchen. They were both giggling. When he caught her, he brushed the curls out of her face, then kissed her.

"I'll get your dessert ready, Elizabeth." Abagail smiled.

* * *

 **Thank you all so very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed chapter two! I really appreciate all of your overwhelmingly kind reviews that you left me for the first chapter. Please, if any of you have any suggestions or ideas for me, I'd love it if you put them in your review so I will see them. It will help me to know what to write in chapter three! Thanks!**


End file.
